We have reached crunch time in terms of Champions League qualification this season and there are no second chances after this round of matches. It’s the second leg of the Champions League playoff round and Nice host Napoli at the Allianz Riviera.
Nice have never played in the Champions League group stages and are aiming to make it for the first time this season. Napoli have graced the group stages of the Champions League many times in recent years and tasted success in the 1988/89 UEFA Cup.
Napoli were much the better team in the first leg of this Champions League playoff match and came away with a 2-0 win. Goals from Dries Mertens in the first half and a penalty from Jorginho in the second half are what separates the teams going into this second leg.
Napoli were the better team on the night and thoroughly deserved their victory, registering 18 shots on goal during the 90 minutes. Nice managed 5 attempts at goal in the match but not one of them was on target and they will need to improve greatly in that department if they are to have any chance of progressing.
It’s not been a great start to the season for Nice and trends show they won their first match of the season on the weekend, defeating Guingamp 2-0 at home in the French Ligue 1. Prior to that they played out two draws with Ajax in the Champions League and lost to Saint-Etienne and Troyes in Ligue 1, that latter of which was a poor 2-1 home defeat.
Napoli have had no such concerns and the 2-0 win over Nice last week was their first competitive action of the new season. Serie A started on the weekend and they picked up 3 points courtesy of a 3-1 win at Hellas Verona on Saturday night.
This is Nice’s first foray into the Champions League but they reached the group stages of the Europa League season. They finished bottom of a group containing Schalke, Krasnodar and Red Bull Salzburg.
Napoli were eliminated at the Round of 16 stage of the Champions League last season, losing both legs of their tie 3-1 against Real Madrid. Their away record last season showed two wins, one draw and one defeat. They have also scored in each of their last seven away Champions League games.
Nice will start in a 4-2-3-1 formation but will be without the suspended Vincent Koziello and Alassane Plea. Wylan Cyprien is still injured but Mario Balotelli and Wesley Sneijder should be fit to start the game.
Napoli have no injury or suspension concerns ahead of this match. They are likely to play a 4-3-3 formation with Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne and Jose Callejon in attack.
The Italian team clearly have the upper hand in this match and with a fully fit squad, should be able to score an away goal. Nice must go for the win and could score themselves so don’t be surprised to see a score draw in this game, with Napoli progressing.